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When Jack meets Early at the boarding school in Maine, he finds him the strangest of boys. Early can read the language of numbers and is determined that they are telling him that his older brother, whose dog tags were returned to the family, is still alive. Early embarks on a trip along the Appalachian trail to find his long lost brother and a great black bear. So how is the unending number of pi connected to this quest that Jack joins? This is a quest of high adventure involving pirates and snakes and skeletons. But beneath it all is quest of the pain-filled heart to find its way back home.

This book starts out quiet but it builds to a glorious conclusion in which our inter-connectedness is revealed as the great healer. Stick with this story. It is worth the journey.

Oh, how I loved this book. Although a children's book, I'm not sure many of the current generation of kids would be drawn to it. It's 1940s timeframe and references, and the nostalgic feel of it would probably not appeal to a lot of kids. However, it's written with such beauty and depth that adults definitely can enjoy it. As I was reading this book I envisioned it as a classic kids buddy movie like Stand by Me and The Goonies. All the nuances of this book were so well done. The title of the book, the friendship between Jack and Early, the way they are both emotionally lost and searching, Early's fascination with the number pi, the way their adventure parallels Early's story of Pi, the characters they meet along the way - especially Gunnar. Oh my gosh I could go on and on. Definitely recommend this one.

Found this one recommended on one of my favorite blogs, and enjoyed it greatly! Early is wonderfully, mysteriously, eccentric, but it all makes sense when you read the epilogue. I would say this book is all about stories and family, loyalty and love, and finding who you are meant to be. Well and thoughtfully written, this book has an inherent beauty, but an underlying sadness that might be a little too much for the younger ones. For everyone else, what are you waiting for? This book is great!

A great read! At first I thought that they where just pretending to go on this adventure, but these events have a huge impact on their lives. A fabulous book for 10-12 year olds and it keeps you wanting more, even after the epilogue ends.

After Jack meets Early at a boarding school in Maine, he is intrigued by Early’s oddities. Over their fall break, the two set out rowing down a river. Early tells a long, ongoing narrative about a lost boy named Pi. It becomes clear to Jack that Early’s quest is really about his brother who went missing during WWII. The beginning parts of the novel seem like an entirely different part than the surreal adventure Early go on later in the book. The book is well-written, but there are times where it seems like it’s trying to be more profound than it actually is.

Interest level: ages 9-12. Jack is sent to boarding school after his mother’s death at the end of WWII, and it is here he meets a child savant named Early. The two embark on an epic adventure down the river where Early recounts an exciting saga based on the number Pi. A beautiful blend of historical fiction and personal journeys.

This is a great read, though it is a pretty serious journey. It is not as light and cheery as the cover might make it seem, but it is still something I would recommend to anyone interested in an adventure tale.

Quotes

"For crying out loud, Baker, what rock have you been living under? Oh, yeah, you're from Kansas." He said it as if Kansas were in some remote tribal region inhabited by illiterate natives like the ones in my National Geographic magazines.